1)Classroom management / discipline philosophy - the Marty
Description of the tool
Direct instruction of "the Marty"
Unconditional respect and dignity are paramount in the running of a classroom.
The teacher must be that model
No power struggles (from the teacher's end) will happen in the classroom
Students will be provided with and will practice with making good choices regarding their behaviors.
Purpose of the tool
Most college-preparatory programs offer ridiculous discipline plans (three strikes, etc).
Their philosophies are not centered on the appropriate ideas (respect and dignity)
CT must demonstrate the process to the ST
How you think the tool will help you
Sharing of this tool reminds the CT of the fundamental components of the discipline philosophy
STs must have this philosophy in place from the start.
2)Survival level info of the school
Description of the tool
A bulleted list of the important "survival level" items of the school
What to wear
Desk / supplies
Teachers' editions of materials
Copy room procedures
Attendance procedures
IC procedures
Book check out procedures
Email / phone protocols
Spec. Ed. / 504 procedures
Health concerns procedures
Purpose of the tool
STs will be overwhelmed with trying to apply their college-learned theory into practical success
But, all of this happens in the framework of a "real school" with real procedures and requirements.
How you think the tool will help you.
Compiling this information will for the CT to re-examine what is most pressing for a new teacher to a school
Experienced teachers often forget the day-to-day items that make a school run, and those items really drive a lot of what does happen in the classroom.
These items NEED to be covered to put the ST at ease
3)Technology available at the school
Description of the tool
Each school will have some / limited / grand resources relating to technology.
STs must understand what is or is not available to them as they plan their units and lessons
Purpose of the tool
STs must be made aware of what they can or cannot use in lesson planning
Is the school using overheads, wikis, one-to-one computing?
These items will shape how theory becomes reality
How you think the tool will help you
Pre-service teachers are implored to "use" technology and many come in with grand ideas about what they will be able to use to better serve their students.
Unfortunately, most schools do not have uniform access to technology.
STs must know what is and is not available to them as they plan lessons and attempt to hit all modalities (many times too quickly and a the expense of real teaching and learning!)
4)Interacting with parents information
Description of the tool
STs must have guidelines, procedures, and models of how to interact with students' parents
Purpose of the tool
To teach, give examples of, model, and allow for practice of teacher-parent interactions
Many STs have not had interactions with parents, and these could be very challenging to them
STs should see emails from parents and practice how they would respond to them (as similar and different from how the CT might respond)
How you think the tool will help you
STs may have a class in this type of interaction More likely, they have had "a" class or a conversation about this part of the job.
STs should practice with scenarios before having to "put themselves out there" with parents
This parent - teacher - student triad is exceptionally important to build and to cultivate, and STs must practice that before going "live."
5)Curriculum guides / assessments for each class being taught
Description of the tool
Copies of assessments the ST is shooting toward
Purpose of the tool
To provide the ST a framework for the class in terms of assessment and which skills and content have been covered in the past so that he or she can have a starting place
How you think the tool will help you
This will give the CT and the ST common language upon which to build their class and for the ST the know what his or her target outcomes are.
6)Evaluation forms
Description of the tool
One objective and one subjective evaluation form that principals might use
Purpose of the tool
To demonstrate to the ST what administrators use to evaluate employees.
How you think the tool will help you
This will, when the timing is right, show the ST the "larger picture" of teaching and evaluation.
The ST will be able to see the "iceberg" of teaching - that he or she will not only be evaluated upon classroom activities but the implication of outside-the-class preparation as well.
The market is tough, and STs should see the "rubric" of an administrator's evaluation
7)RTI Program Description
Description of the tool
All schools are required to have a response to interventions flow chart. STs should have access to this
Purpose of the tool
To show the STs what is and is not their sole responsibility in terms of reaching all students, both succeeding and failing
How you think the tool will help you
Clarifying what is a first, second, etc. level of response will help the Ct and ST get on the same page in regards to what he or she should be doing and what is an available outside-the-class support.
8)Contact list - Resource teachers
Description of the tool
List of ELL and SPEd personnel that will help the ST through the process
Purpose of the tool
Many support personnel are present to assist the classroom teacher. STs should be aware of these people and their jobs.
How you think the tool will help you
Clarifying who is responsible for 504s, IEPs, LAPs, ALPs and all the other acronyms involved in education would be a good thing for STs
There is a ton of administrata involved in classroom teaching, and STs should get used to that process.
Again, this is more of the "iceberg" part of teaching. An amazing in-class presence is only part of the story. STs need to see all that invisible part of the educational process.
9)TEMP Lesson Planning Template
Description of the tool
The best lesson planning template I have ever seen and used
T = teaching; E = examples; M = modeling; P = practice
Purpose of the tool
To show the STs a useful and practical lesson planning guide rather than an overly theoretical one
How you think the tool will help you
This will help the CT and ST get on the same page in terms of scaffolding expectations.
TEMP forces reflection upon taking the correct amount of steps rather than taking too large a step or skipping a step entirely
TEMP can be vertical (over a class period or two) or horizontal (stretching over a week, unit, or year).
STs need to be aware of how content and skills should be taught (differently!) and how they should be properly scaffolded with adequate practice woven throughout the year (horizontally)
This lesson-planning model is the best ever (Even though it doesn't exist in a paper form....yet...it is the method by which I normally mentally plan and would be beneficial for STs to have in their hands if working with me!)
10) School community guide
Description of the tool
School pamphlet detailing coaching and sponsoring opportunities
Purpose of the tool
To show the ST the greater school community in which his or her classroom is existing.
How you think the tool will help you
Many students come to school for actives outside of class. STs should be aware of all that a school offers
Additionally, many STs will get their first jobs based upon how marketable they can make themselves based upon what they can coach or sponsor since many schools like their coaches to be teachers in the building. This list will help build the Sts understanding of the full school community and how important eligibility is!
1)Classroom management / discipline philosophy - the Marty
2)Survival level info of the school
3)Technology available at the school
4)Interacting with parents information
5)Curriculum guides / assessments for each class being taught
6)Evaluation forms
7)RTI Program Description
8)Contact list - Resource teachers
9)TEMP Lesson Planning Template
10) School community guide